FB: American Southwest Conference

[golden_dome]

Honestly, if Rashon Lewis is UMHB's starting quarterback then I will drop them several spots on my ballot until they make me do otherwise.

Pat,
   Just to play devil's advocate regarding Rashon Lewis, he was playing on an awful team last year but the kid can absolutely fly. He might have been the fastest player I saw all season, or at least in the top 2-3. I'm not sure he would ever be successful in a conventional pro style offense, but I would not be surprised to see him put up big rushing numbers in the UMHB offense where it will utilize his strengths.

Having said that, I would think the Baylor transfer is also a very talented quarterback.

[70_dc_alum]

Honestly, if Rashon Lewis is UMHB's starting quarterback then I will drop them several spots on my ballot until they make me do otherwise.

Pat,
   Just to play devil's advocate regarding Rashon Lewis, he was playing on an awful team last year but the kid can absolutely fly. He might have been the fastest player I saw all season, or at least in the top 2-3. I'm not sure he would ever be successful in a conventional pro style offense, but I would not be surprised to see him put up big rushing numbers in the UMHB offense where it will utilize his strengths.

Having said that, I would think the Baylor transfer is also a very talented quarterback.

He was on a playoff team at MSJ and did not deliver much there.  i watched him play in a couple games....athlete yes.  a good Team QB, not a chance.  i think it would be a good transfer for UMHB if he was playing WR.  what kind of trust and timing can you get with a QB who is on his 4th team in 4 years (he transfered into MSJ)

[Ralph Turner]

Here are the comments about Mr Lewis from the HCAC board about his time at Mount St Joseph,  beginning at Post #3166.

[Josh Bowerman]

Josh, et al, very few leagues have regulations regarding in-conference transfers.

I know.  I also know that my team has benefitted from transfers in from other conference schools in the past.

The practice has always rubbed me the wrong way, though.  This isn't what DIII is supposed to be about.  If there were some sort of deterrent, then we could stop this problem before it gets out of hand.

Just my opinion.

[Josh Bowerman]

However, considering that these student athletes are paying for the education and that the schools promise no loyalty to them, is it fair to mandate loyalty from them to the schools ?

Though I don't know the particulars that led to this transfer, I do know Coach Gray at McMurry extremely well.  I'd have a REAL hard time believing that loyalty to the player was the issue.

[SaintsFAN]

From what I've heard he will be playing QB and he will be the QB. They're really excited about his athleticism. Remember, this offense has been doing pretty well under Josh Welch who lacked the arm strength and athleticism that alot of the QB's in the conference have.

I don't think they need to be worried about much on the field with him, as far as physical skills go.  Its the other...off the field crap that was his demise at MSJ. 

I'm still curious as to the reason he's not with McMurry this year..

[used2b]

Hello All,
    Josh Bowerman and others,
I am very sorry someone is saying etbu will make a jump that would make them better than the 2003 version. They will really have to have some tremendous athletes to top that bunch. To get to a "new" level, it appears that the Coach there has chosen the JUCO route to try and be competitive. In my ASC experience, that move hasn't worked out most of the time for many of the teams.

[Josh Bowerman]

I nevere knocked the guy.  I liked the enthusiasm, though, I tend to believe what my eyes tell me.  The enthusiasm, though--that's what the new season is all about--everybody has a chance and everybody's record is the same.

Personally, I think the Tigers have some talent, but they're just not as fast as a team as they've been in the past.  With UMHB, HSU and MC all having outstanding team speed on one or both sides of the ball, the Tigers defense may have a hard time keeping up.

[etbualum]

ETBU update

I will say this.  Last year was a down year for us in terms of team speed.  That will be different this year.  I have seen a significant improvement there.  That doesn't mean it will show in the record at the end of the year.   For the first time since the inception of the program we are running the same offense from one year to the next.  We also return 55 ish letter earners from last year(probably close to the most ever).  I would not say that Coach Sartain is building a team of Juco transfers.  We do have a few but that would come with any coach that coached a Juco before moving to a four year.    Here is a link to an article that talks about a few of the new guys.

http://www.etbu.edu/Current_Athletic_News/sports_item.htm?NewsID=1537

[Pat Coleman]

Honestly, if Rashon Lewis is UMHB's starting quarterback then I will drop them several spots on my ballot until they make me do otherwise.

Pat,
   Just to play devil's advocate regarding Rashon Lewis, he was playing on an awful team last year but the kid can absolutely fly. He might have been the fastest player I saw all season, or at least in the top 2-3. I'm not sure he would ever be successful in a conventional pro style offense, but I would not be surprised to see him put up big rushing numbers in the UMHB offense where it will utilize his strengths.

I know he can but that's not the only D-III team he has played for. They can still prove it to me with him but they lose some of my benefit of the doubt.

[Pat Coleman]

Josh, et al, very few leagues have regulations regarding in-conference transfers.

I know.  I also know that my team has benefitted from transfers in from other conference schools in the past.

The practice has always rubbed me the wrong way, though.  This isn't what DIII is supposed to be about.  If there were some sort of deterrent, then we could stop this problem before it gets out of hand.

Just my opinion.

I don't know about that, though -- are we supposed to force a kid to pay for a fifth year of school to play a fourth year of football? It's not like we're giving them the schooling for free in D-III.

[Josh Bowerman]

In some ways, I think that's the point.  The education of the scholar-athlete in DIII is the primary focus--the extra-curriculars are secondary. 

If a school doesn't work out for a kid--for whatever reason--they should be allowed to transfer to a place where they can thrive.  But transferring for the sake of a sport is different than transferring for the sake of academics or finances.  Ergo, if they're transferring for academic or financial reasons, they will A) likely not be transferring in-conference, and B) the eligibility issue is more than likely moot--because it wasn't a deciding factor in the first place.  In cases where it is an issue, the athlete in question could always petition the conference (or other governing body) for a dispensation.

The way it is now, though, the structure DIII does provide for a "hired gun".  And that's neither consistent with the ethos of DIII (IMO) or fair from a competition standpoint.

As with anything else, it's the few that cause rules to be made for the many.  Even though this isn't a widespread problem--now--I can forsee a 'Roshon Lewis Rule' at some point in the future...

[Ralph Turner]

In some ways, I think that's the point.  The education of the scholar-athlete in DIII is the primary focus--the extra-curriculars are secondary. 

If a school doesn't work out for a kid--for whatever reason--they should be allowed to transfer to a place where they can thrive.  But transferring for the sake of a sport is different than transferring for the sake of academics or finances.  Ergo, if they're transferring for academic or financial reasons, they will A) likely not be transferring in-conference, and B) the eligibility issue is more than likely moot--because it wasn't a deciding factor in the first place.  In cases where it is an issue, the athlete in question could always petition the conference (or other governing body) for a dispensation.

The way it is now, though, the structure DIII does provide for a "hired gun".  And that's neither consistent with the ethos of DIII (IMO) or fair from a competition standpoint.

As with anything else, it's the few that cause rules to be made for the many.  Even though this isn't a widespread problem--now--I can forsee a 'Roshon Lewis Rule' at some point in the future...

Josh, we have had plenty of players cross the railroad tracks both ways in Abilene to the mutual success of both schools.

I think that the integrity of the programs in the ASC will keep this under control.  It is all about the student-athlete.

The athlete who thrives by switching to a new program will benefit.

The athlete who carries his/her attitude from one program to the next will be the challenge of the coach and in turn the administration.

The athlete who cannot cut it at one program is not likely to cut it at another.

I guess that I come down on the side of the student-athlete.

[roocru]

Good news for Patrick Oliver, former basketball and football player for UMHB

See link to UMHB website  http://www.umhb.edu/athletics/news/8877

[Dam-It]

In some ways, I think that's the point.  The education of the scholar-athlete in DIII is the primary focus--the extra-curriculars are secondary. 

If a school doesn't work out for a kid--for whatever reason--they should be allowed to transfer to a place where they can thrive.  But transferring for the sake of a sport is different than transferring for the sake of academics or finances.  Ergo, if they're transferring for academic or financial reasons, they will A) likely not be transferring in-conference, and B) the eligibility issue is more than likely moot--because it wasn't a deciding factor in the first place.  In cases where it is an issue, the athlete in question could always petition the conference (or other governing body) for a dispensation.

The way it is now, though, the structure DIII does provide for a "hired gun".  And that's neither consistent with the ethos of DIII (IMO) or fair from a competition standpoint.

As with anything else, it's the few that cause rules to be made for the many.  Even though this isn't a widespread problem--now--I can forsee a 'Roshon Lewis Rule' at some point in the future...

First Post, but Josh you are off base here. If this happened in an Olympic sport you would not care. I do not see where this bothers you. A young man is trying to find his way. Maybe for Roshan it takes four schools. From what I can tell it was Arkansas-Pine Bluff (though he was recruited by Houston and TCU, but probably did not make the grades), then Mount St. Joseph, then McMurry and now UMHB. He is also a 2002 high school graduate, which means this is his seventh year since high school.

Hell Howard Payne had Big "Ed" Randle as a senior when he was like 29. Dennis Harp referred to him as grandpa. McMurry had Chris Brown (SWT, Tarleton, McMurry) and Tollison. Every school has had a player they have offered another chance to compete. He may be a horses petute, but that school has to deal with the good and the bad.

Division III is about the student-athlete, but it is also about opportunity. I do not have facts, but I bet Jimmie K has taken in a nomad in his time at the 40 Acres. We all know that he gets the Tech kids that do not pan out up north. What about the women's basketball players that transfer 18 blocks from McM to HSU and vice versa? Isn't that the same?

Just food for thought.